Post by ShenmueAddict on Apr 19, 2005 21:33:17 GMT
White smoke and bells ringing in Rome heralded the news that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, the Roman Catholic Church's leading hard-liner, has become the new Pope.
He chose the name Pope Benedict XVI and called himself "a simple, humble worker''.
The new Pope emerged onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, where he waved to a wildly cheering crowd of tens of thousands and gave his first blessing as pontiff. Other cardinals clad in their crimson robes came out on other balconies to watch him after one of the fastest papal conclaves of the past century.
Pilgrims chanted, "Benedict! Benedict!'', as the church's 265th pontiff appeared.
"Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me - a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord,'' he said after being introduced by Chilean Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estivez.
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"The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers,'' the new pope said.
Benedict XVI had served John Paul II since 1981 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In that position, he has disciplined church dissidents and upheld church policy against attempts by liberals for reforms
He turned 78 on Saturday. His age clearly was a factor among cardinals who favoured a "transitional'' pope who could skilfully lead the church as it absorbs John Paul II's legacy, rather than a younger cardinal who could wind up with another long pontificate.
Benedict XVI is the first Germanic pope in roughly 1,000 years. There were at least three German popes in the 11th century.
White smoke comes out of the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City
He decided to spend the night at the Vatican hotel, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, and to dine with the cardinals, said Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. He was to preside over a Mass at 9am local time (8am UK time) tomorrow in the Sistine Chapel and will be formally installed on Sunday at 10am (9am UK time).
White smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel and bells tolled earlier to announce the conclave had produced a pope. Flag-waving pilgrims in St Peter's Square chanted: ''Viva il Papa!'' or "Long live the pope!''
The bells rang after a confusing smoke signal that Vatican Radio initially suggested was black but then declared was too difficult to call. White smoke is used to announce a pope's election to the world.
It was one of the fastest elections in the past century: Pope Pius XII was elected in 1939 in three ballots on one day, while Pope John Paul I was elected in 1978 in four ballots in one day. The new pope was elected after either four or five ballots over two days.
Priests celebrate in Vatican City as white smoke signals a new pope has been chosen
In Traunstein, the southern German town where the Pope studied for the priesthood, 13-year-old boys at St Michael's seminary jumped up and down, cheered and clapped as the news was announced.
"It's fantastic that it's Cardinal Ratzinger. I met him when he was here before and I found him really nice,'' said Lorenz Gradl, 16, who was confirmed by Ratzinger in 2003.
The new Pope succeeds John Paul II, who gained extraordinary popularity over a 26-year pontificate, history's third-longest papacy. Millions mourned him around the world in a tribute to his charisma.
After the bells started to ring, people on the streets of Rome immediately started heading from all directions toward Vatican City.
Some priests and seminarians in clerical garb ran; nuns pulled up their long skirts and jogged toward the Vatican. Drivers were honking horns and some people were closing stores early and joining the crowds.
While John Paul, a Pole, was elected to challenge the communist system in place in eastern Europe in 1978 the new pontiff faces new issues: the need for dialogue with Islam, the divisions between the wealthy north and the poor south as well as problems within his own church.
These include the priest sex-abuse scandals that have cost the church millions in settlements in the US and elsewhere; coping with a chronic shortage of priests and nuns in the West; and halting the stream of people leaving a church indifferent to teachings they no longer find relevant.
Benedict, which comes from the Latin for "blessing'' is one of a number of papal names of holy origin such as Clement ("mercy''), Innocent ("hopeful'' as well as ''innocent'') and Pius ("pious'').
The last Benedict, Benedict XV, served during the First World War and was credited with settling animosity between traditionalists and modernists, and dreamed of reunion with Orthodox Christians.
He chose the name Pope Benedict XVI and called himself "a simple, humble worker''.
The new Pope emerged onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, where he waved to a wildly cheering crowd of tens of thousands and gave his first blessing as pontiff. Other cardinals clad in their crimson robes came out on other balconies to watch him after one of the fastest papal conclaves of the past century.
Pilgrims chanted, "Benedict! Benedict!'', as the church's 265th pontiff appeared.
"Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me - a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord,'' he said after being introduced by Chilean Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estivez.
More on the Pope
Chat about the latest developments
Have your say on the message board
"The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers,'' the new pope said.
Benedict XVI had served John Paul II since 1981 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In that position, he has disciplined church dissidents and upheld church policy against attempts by liberals for reforms
He turned 78 on Saturday. His age clearly was a factor among cardinals who favoured a "transitional'' pope who could skilfully lead the church as it absorbs John Paul II's legacy, rather than a younger cardinal who could wind up with another long pontificate.
Benedict XVI is the first Germanic pope in roughly 1,000 years. There were at least three German popes in the 11th century.
White smoke comes out of the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City
He decided to spend the night at the Vatican hotel, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, and to dine with the cardinals, said Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. He was to preside over a Mass at 9am local time (8am UK time) tomorrow in the Sistine Chapel and will be formally installed on Sunday at 10am (9am UK time).
White smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel and bells tolled earlier to announce the conclave had produced a pope. Flag-waving pilgrims in St Peter's Square chanted: ''Viva il Papa!'' or "Long live the pope!''
The bells rang after a confusing smoke signal that Vatican Radio initially suggested was black but then declared was too difficult to call. White smoke is used to announce a pope's election to the world.
It was one of the fastest elections in the past century: Pope Pius XII was elected in 1939 in three ballots on one day, while Pope John Paul I was elected in 1978 in four ballots in one day. The new pope was elected after either four or five ballots over two days.
Priests celebrate in Vatican City as white smoke signals a new pope has been chosen
In Traunstein, the southern German town where the Pope studied for the priesthood, 13-year-old boys at St Michael's seminary jumped up and down, cheered and clapped as the news was announced.
"It's fantastic that it's Cardinal Ratzinger. I met him when he was here before and I found him really nice,'' said Lorenz Gradl, 16, who was confirmed by Ratzinger in 2003.
The new Pope succeeds John Paul II, who gained extraordinary popularity over a 26-year pontificate, history's third-longest papacy. Millions mourned him around the world in a tribute to his charisma.
After the bells started to ring, people on the streets of Rome immediately started heading from all directions toward Vatican City.
Some priests and seminarians in clerical garb ran; nuns pulled up their long skirts and jogged toward the Vatican. Drivers were honking horns and some people were closing stores early and joining the crowds.
While John Paul, a Pole, was elected to challenge the communist system in place in eastern Europe in 1978 the new pontiff faces new issues: the need for dialogue with Islam, the divisions between the wealthy north and the poor south as well as problems within his own church.
These include the priest sex-abuse scandals that have cost the church millions in settlements in the US and elsewhere; coping with a chronic shortage of priests and nuns in the West; and halting the stream of people leaving a church indifferent to teachings they no longer find relevant.
Benedict, which comes from the Latin for "blessing'' is one of a number of papal names of holy origin such as Clement ("mercy''), Innocent ("hopeful'' as well as ''innocent'') and Pius ("pious'').
The last Benedict, Benedict XV, served during the First World War and was credited with settling animosity between traditionalists and modernists, and dreamed of reunion with Orthodox Christians.
Source: AOL
